Bright supernova in the LMC

This photo of the bright supernova in the LMC was obtained with the ESO 1m Schmidt telescope on February 26 at 01:25 UT. On this date, the supernova had reached visual magnitude 4.4. The photo should be compared with the ultraviolet photo showing the supernova progenitor which was taken with the same telescope in 1977. The enormous increase in brightness, around 2000 times, is evident. The background nebulosity emits strongly in the ultraviolet and is therefore better visible on the ultraviolet photo. Otherwise more or less the same stars are seen on both photos.